


What Love Has Achieved

by twilightstarr



Series: Building New Memories [4]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Asra (The Arcana) Route, Blood Drinking, Brief Nadia/portia, Canon-Typical Violence, Force-Feeding, Mentions/Cameos of other characters - Freeform, Mild canon divergence, Multi, Nonbinary Apprentice (The Arcana), Polyamory, Queerplatonic apprentice & asra, Referenced Death, Upright Ending, brief sexual musings, injuries, reference to the plague beetle incident, referenced metaphysical cannibalism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twilightstarr/pseuds/twilightstarr
Summary: When the ritual begins, all may appear to be lost, but Julian's magicians have something planned, and he's going to help out however he can.
Relationships: Apprentice/Asra/Julian Devorak, Julian Devorak & Muriel, Julian Devorak & Nadia, Julian Devorak & Portia Devorak
Series: Building New Memories [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798564
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	What Love Has Achieved

Julian's heart sank when a figure in a bear mask entered the room and was pulled into a chair. That left only two seats--Amaranth and Asra.

Another minute of awful, anxious silence passed under the devil's supervision. It didn't help that Julian had to be between Vlastomil and Valdemar, and that the latter kept smiling with anticipation at him, because of course that was his luck. He tried to hold out hope for his magicians… until they came into the room, Asra stilted, Amaranth shaking and holding tight to his hand. "No," he breathed, and Valdemar chuckled with evil glee. 

"Hello. Good of you to join us." 

Amaranth tensed, eyes wide at the sight of the devil. Julian longed to reach out to them, protect them somehow. 

"What are _you_ doing here?" asked Asra.

"What an impertinent question. This is, after all, my party. Some of my own power has been invested in this ritual… in this very room. Why wouldn't I be here?" 

The two of them took in the room, eyes lingering longer on Julian. Asra forced a neutral face. Amaranth was never very good at hiding their nerves. 

"Family and friends, all reunited," the devil smiled. "Please, sit." They were tugged into their chairs as though by invisible strings. Then the devil rose, addressing the table. "Welcome, welcome. I did wonder if you all would make it tonight." He looked passive aggressively toward the magicians. "Asra, I should thank you. Your parents have a fortuitously strong connection to the lovers."

Asra's eyes briefly narrowed, but refused to give the devil any more satisfaction than that. "Fine. You've won. Gloat away." 

His parents? Weren't his parents supposed to be dead? Julian looked to the pair of strangers in the large chair. He could see it now--Asra's skin tone, his eyes, his fluffy hair. Well, that would make five people who'd come back from the dead. 

"Gloat? No, if anything, I'm impressed. You and Amaranth made a valiant effort of resisting me. I should have known Lucio couldn't get the better of you." The devil's gaze turned to Julian's side of the table, chilling him for a moment before he realized, when Vlastomil shuddered, that it was directed at the courtiers around him. "Lucio was overdue on his debts, but next time, ask before you eat something of _mine_." 

_Eat?_ He made the mistake of glancing at Valdemar, foolishly expecting some indication that they hadn't literally devoured a person. They only flashed their teeth at him. On second thought, Julian was definitely still terrified. 

The devil took a nice long moment to let that sink in before continuing. "Fortunately for all of you, I have what I needed from Lucio." The devil looked down at a chalice in front of him. What did the contents of it have to do with a dead man? Was it his blood or something? "Morga," he addressed a woman glaring at him. "You should be thanking me. I found a use for your worthless son." 

Her eyes were fierce. Julian surely would have been shaken, but the Devil ignored her. "As for you, Amaranth, one Fool is as good as another." He sat back down and gestured across the table. "Go on. Eat, drink, be merry." 

Along with the rest of the table, Julian's hand closed around silverware without his consent, and his already anxious pulse spiked. No! Absolutely not. He did not trust this food. Wasn't it enough that he was here? His arm shook as he fought as hard as he could to keep a bite from his mouth. 

"Don't worry, it tastes better than beetle," Valdemar serenely assured him. 

"Shut up!" Julian hissed. 

With some other murmurs going around the table now, their exchange didn't stand out terribly, but he caught his lovers' eyes on him as he chewed. With the horror dawning on their faces, he was pretty sure they'd heard and pieced together exactly how he'd contracted the plague. Amaranth glared daggers at Valdemar--until suddenly they didn't, as though they'd been shaken out of it. Asra gave them a subtle nod, then back to his poker face. 

He was definitely up to something. They had a plan. All wasn't lost yet. Believing that made the next mouthful a little easier to swallow. 

Amaranth locked eyes with the Devil, and he leered back. "See Amaranth, this isn't so bad. Food, wine, all your favorite people in one place… what more could you ask for?" 

"I'd like freedom." 

The Devil tsked. "Amaranth, you disappoint me. Freedom is such a deceptive idea. Freedom to do what? To live your short lives in misery? To roam the world aimlessly? No, Amaranth. Your kind only think you want freedom. Secretly, all of you crave something else. Power. Pleasure. _Love._ " 

"So… Devil?" 

"Yes?" 

"Can I ask you something before the world ends?" Their voice was unsteady, and it sounded forced to Julian, but the Devil didn't seem to pick up on it. 

"Before the world ends? Oh, the world won't end. It'll just be… altered." 

"What does that mean, altered?" 

"Amaranth, you want me to spoil the surprise? Oh no, no, no. You'll see my new world with your own eyes soon enough. I think you'll enjoy the novelty. And my fellow arcana might even thank me for making our existences more interesting." 

Before Amaranth could respond, there was an abrupt clatter. The Devil's eyes turned to Asra, who'd dropped his fork. He played it off as clumsiness, mechanically picking it back up and taking a bite of food, but Julian could tell when he was hiding something. A long time ago, it had infuriated him how challenging Asra could be to read, but now, he was intensely grateful for it. 

Amaranth, however, was close to panicking behind the mask. Julian wanted to help, but without knowing their plan, wasn't sure what he ought to do. 

"No one wants you here, Devil." The bear-masked person spoke, turning the whole room's attention on him, and Julian realized he knew that voice. Perhaps it was nerves that had kept him from recognizing Muriel earlier. It wasn't like him to be so outspoken. It was a deliberate distraction.

Trusting his lead, Julian cleared his throat and, for the sake of his dear magicians, taunted a powerful magical monstrosity with the first thing he thought of. "He's right. I'll party with just about anyone, but you're the exception, Devil." 

"Your decor could really use some work. There's way too much red," Pasha chimed in.

Then Nadia joined. "And I do not recall inviting you to my masquerade. You have been a most ungracious guest." 

His clawed hands clenched as he looked between the four of them. "Courage in the face of inevitability. How admirable. I hope something remains of you when the new world Dawns." The Devil raised the chalice. "To all of you. Thank you, for playing your parts." He pushed the chalice across to Julian. 

He found he had no choice but to take it. It looked like normal wine, and smelled like normal wine, but it tasted too sweet. 

The chalice was passed around the table, everyone forced to take a drink, making it to Amaranth last. Julian had no idea what he'd expected them to do, but finishing the wine without resistance hadn't been it. They did cringe at the taste though. 

"Are you alright, Amma?" Asra asked, squeezing their hand. 

"How touching." The Devil sneered. "And to what end?" He gestured around the table. "Everyone is here. Everyone drank, even your darling Amaranth. All your efforts were for naught, Asra. You and your _love_ achieved nothing." 

"You're wrong." Now, Amaranth spoke with conviction. 

"Oh?" The Devil leaned back in his chair. "Indulge me, Amaranth. How am I wrong about this mortal delusion you call love?" The table fell silent. 

"Asra, you're my true friend, partner, and home away from home. Together, we discovered the truth about an innocent man." A gaze full of affection turned to Julian, and he looked away bashfully. "Traveled across the realms of magic, and unraveled mysteries great and small. I couldn't have done it without you. _We_ couldn't have done any of it without each other." 

"Yes, very touching. What exactly is your _point_ , Amaranth?"

"I don't think you _could_ understand love. You don't have friends, just underlings bound to you."

"Oh Amaranth, please don't pity me. That would be unbearably nauseating."

They took a second to consider it. "I don't." 

"Good." 

"And I don't have to justify love to you, just because you can't comprehend it. We love each other." Another glance at Julian, then back to Asra. "And that's enough for us." 

The Devil was silent. Pride rose in Julian's chest. 

"Amaranth…" Asra said softly, touched. "You didn't have to say all that on my behalf." 

"No, but I wanted to." 

His laughter rang through the room. "Thank you. And whatever happens next, whatever becomes of us… I love you too." 

They looked wide eyed around the table, just now realizing everyone was smiling at them.

"Are you quite finished?" The Devil asked, irritated.

Amaranth shrugged. "You asked." 

"A moment of idle curiosity, nothing more. Nevertheless, now that your heartwarming little display is over…" the clap of his hands was like thunder reverberating through the room and through Julian's nerves. He likely would have jumped out of his seat if he physically could. 

As the seconds of silence dragged on, he realized, daring a smirk toward his lovers, and then the devil, "Uh… nothing's happening." 

"Patience. One can't rush these things." 

This time, Julian was ready for the clap at least. Then the next. 

And then Volta's scream pierced the air. "Oh! What is happening to Volta? Volta feels… light? Volta feels so strange!" 

The other courtiers were also squirming. Amaranth looked faint for a few seconds before falling unconscious. Julian screamed their name, struggling against whatever invisible force kept him from dashing to their side. Asra caught them before they could collapse out of the chair. 

Then, suddenly, the magic restraint snapped into nothing, and Julian's own force launched him stumbling into the table. 

"Come on Amaranth. Deep breaths. You're alright." 

They mumbled something. 

Then Asra looked up, met eyes with Julian, and his face lit up with relief. "You did it! We did it! It worked!" 

Vlastomil tripped Julian as he passed. 

Nadia was the next to stand. "Whatever you hoped to accomplish has failed, Devil. If you are done with this perverse little charade, get out of my palace." Then others began to rise hesitantly, and Julian impatiently tired to weave his way through them to get to Amaranth and Asra. 

His parents were closer and got there first, embracing him. 

"Ahem," said the devil, making the guests pause. 

Asra turned to face him. "We all drank your wine and ate your food. It's all over. Let us go." 

The room darkened as he rose from his seat, form distorting, growing to loom over them. "Over? Never." Panic rose in Julian's chest again. Screams rang out. 

"What are you all waiting for? Run!" yelled Asra. 

People pushed past Julian in the stampede for the exit, and he lost sight of Asra and Amaranth in the crowd. Then black magical flames rose around the door and spread, encircling the room. 

"You're not going anywhere." 

The flames stretched inward, pushing them back to the middle.

"Resist all you like. None of you will escape." 

"Just try to stop me." Morga seized a knife from the table. "I'm leaving, even if I have to carve through you myself." 

"Now Morga, put that down before--"

Apparently fearless, she dove for his heart… and the blade passed through. 

"--Ilusion!" Asra's voice, too far away. 

A giant claw gestured to the three relatively calm people in the room--Valdemar, Vulgora, Vlastomil. "Make sure no one leaves." Then his form faded into dark, noxious smoke. 

"--filthy troublemakers!" 

Following Vulgora's booming voice, Julian found his partners again as the smoke began to clear, but then he had to dodge a flying fork. It turned out it wasn't just one wayward utensil someone had thrown, but an animated silverware army zooming toward Vulgora. 

Something wrapped tightly around an arm and a leg, something Julian could have sworn felt like tentacles, and he shrieked as he was thrown upon the table. With his senses blurred when his head made contact, he flailed blindly against whatever was pinning him. Someone was speaking.

"--shame really. It would have been so very interesting to dissect a subject who would have survived the process. Oh well." 

Valdemar's voice sent a chill through him. Julian has a feeling they would be the most painful of the three to die by, either by tearing his insides open, devouring him, or both. This time he called Asra's name. 

A wave of glowing magic flew into Valdemar, quickly joined by a second. It dazed them enough for Julian to kick them off and pull himself up. 

Next thing he knew, Asra and Amaranth had his hands and were pulling him along toward the doorway, which was still blocked by hot black tendrils of magic. 

"Fire?"

"Should also be fake," said Amaranth. 

There was a scream. Julian glanced and saw the green haired princess on the floor. 

Julian trusted Asra and Amaranth were not abandoning everyone, but needed to leave to do something important and magical. As much as he longed to come with them after finally reaching them, he wasn't sure how much help he'd really be. Here in this chaos though, there was bound to be use for a former battlefield medic. He'd been expecting _something_ to go down tonight, if not something quite like this, and had some first aid supplies on him. "I need to stay here." 

He saw their worry, their hesitation to leave him. He didn't have time for it. He pulled away, hoping they'd forgive him later if they all made it out of this alive, and ran to help. 

Pasha found him while he was taking care of the princess. From there on, they navigated the mayhem together, watching each other's backs. Asra's parents and Morga were doing most of the actual damage to the courtiers, but others provided helpful distraction to give them openings. Nadia and the yellow haired princess fought well against the aggressive person-sized worms that appeared at some point though. Nazali also helped with injuries. 

Pasha followed when Julian rushed to help another person. 

"I suppose you're going to gloat," the consul sneered as he was laid down in relative safety under the table. 

Before that, focused as Julian was, he'd barely registered that he was tending to the man who'd had him arrested three years ago. It wasn't worth getting distracted over. "No." 

Pasha felt differently. "My brother is nice enough to take care of you after you almost got him killed for a crime he didn't commit. You could at least say thank you." 

He turned his attention to Pasha with his best attempt at contempt while on the floor, bleeding, in pain. "You've forgotten your place." 

"What are you gonna do, chop my head off? You're the only person in this room who still gives a damn about propriety, you ass." 

Valerius muttered a thank you, though also something about audacity. 

Overall, the arcana representatives fought well and were able to maintain their morale. Eventually, the courtiers gave up and seemingly vanished. By then, the dining room was a complete disaster area: food everywhere, broken dishes, shattered glasses, scattered silverware and candles, overturned chairs, bloodstains, worm corpses, bits and pieces of torn costume. 

"Everyone please hold still a moment," Nadia ordered, glancing about the room, counting heads. 

"Asra and Amaranth left," the taller Alnazar supplied. "They're probably confronting the Devil in his realm by now." 

That sounded dangerous. "Is that… how much damage can two magicians do to a major arcana?" Julian asked. 

"Normally, not a lot, but Amaranth has an advantage against his magic that others don't. I think that's how they stopped the ritual from working," replied shorter Alnazar. 

The two of them didn't seem overwhelmed with worry, so that probably meant he shouldn't be either. Asra and Amaranth had come this far. They could take the Devil. Everything would be fine, and when this was all over, he'd get to hold them all he wanted. There was no need to think about how much it would hurt to lose them after the short, precious time they'd had together. 

"There's one more unaccounted for," said Nadia. "Has anyone seen... the Hermit?" 

What was the Hermit representative's name? Julian felt like he should know, or at least remember what they looked like. They had to have arrived at some point. 

"There's someone under here," said Pasha, checking beneath the table. "They're hurt." 

Julian ducked under. They were very tall and broad, crouched to fit in a way that couldn't be comfortable. One arm was bleeding. As Julian crawled to them, maneuvering around some glass shards, they flinched away and bumped their head against the table. 

"It's okay. I'm here to help you. The courtiers are gone now," Julian tried to soothe. 

The person looked at him. The eyes felt familiar, but the mask covered almost everything else. Their breathing was rapid, distressed. "No. Don't help me. I… hurt you." 

"Muriel." How had he forgotten? "It's alright. I know you didn't mean to. Actually, I owe _you_ the apology. I was _trying_ to get myself hurt, and I used you to do it. It wasn't your fault, but I see you felt awful about it all the same. I'm so sorry. Let me see the wound, please." 

He didn't recoil this time as Julian reached. There were glass pieces sticking into his skin. 

"Okay. Let's get you out from here." 

Muriel shook his head and tensed up. The idea seemed to frighten him enough that Julian decided against it. 

"Um, alright, we'll stay here. Can you lay down for me then?" 

Muriel awkwardly rearranged himself to do so in the cramped space without hurting his arm. It was less than ideal, but enough room to work with. 

He could hear other things happening as he worked. People embraced each other, relieved to still be in one piece. Nazali was soothing and directing other patients. The Alnazars figured out how to dispel the flames, and then they were available to help mend wounds with magic. Nazali sent Pasha to fetch some more supplies. Nadia announced that everyone here was welcome to take a guest room. It was a bit less crowded by the time Julian finished carefully pulling over a dozen glass shards out of Muriel's arm, and then he was able to coax him out from cover. 

"Um… magicians? Could one of you please close this up?" Julian asked. 

The taller one approached him and Muriel. The shorter one was slumped in a chair. They both looked exhausted. 

They breathed deeply with effort, and the wounds only improved slightly. 

"You're drained," said Muriel. 

"I'm afraid so," they grimaced. 

"It's okay." He looked at Julian. "Just bandage it." 

"I... ran out of bandages a while ago. I'll have to--" 

Tie your cloak around it, was what he was going to say. The cuts were still bleeding enough that he didn't want to leave them uncovered much longer. 

"Heads up!" he was warned, barely a second before a roll of bandage hit him in the head, startling him into a ridiculous noise. 

"Woops, sorry," Pasha giggled in the doorway, not sorry at all. He would have chucked it back at her, if it weren't something he had immediate need for. 

He sat Muriel down and patched him up. Tall Alnazar roused the short one, and they excused themselves. "There you go," he said when he finished, and then, "I know we got off to a rough start, Muriel, but, well, you seem to be a good friend of Asra's, and, I'm his boyfriend, so, you know… I hope we can be friends too." 

"...Maybe," Muriel muttered, not looking at him. Then he stood and left. 

"Pasha," Julian called. 

"What?" She was beside Nazali and their final patient, one of their sisters with relatively minor cuts. 

"One of those worms got a bite on you." 

"Oh, you noticed that."

"I can see the blood, Pasha." 

She looked at the torn and stained fabric on her shoulder, as though taking it in for the first time. "Oh. It isn't really that bad." 

"I know. That's why I didn't get to it sooner, but it's your turn now." 

"I can take care of this myself when I get home." 

Since she wasn't coming to him, he came to her. "I know you're tough, but for my sake." 

"Oh alright, I guess I can let my worrywort brother take care of it." 

They were the last two people to leave the room. Out in the unrestricted halls, Julian saw bodies on the floor. Alarmed, he knelt beside one to check for a pulse. 

"Don't worry, they're all alive, just unconscious," said Pasha. 

As he straightened up, Nadia came down the hall from the other way. "Is there anyone left in the dining room?" she asked. 

"No, everyone's been taken care of, milady." 

"Good, and Portia, you can call me Nadia when it's just us." 

"Oh, um, are you sure?" she stammered. 

"Absolutely." 

"Um, okay." 

"What are you going to do about this, countess?" Julian asked, gesturing at the floor. 

"Please, Nadia." 

"Alright, Nadia." 

"I will tell them there was a mishap with the magic in the rooms that caused everyone to become very drowsy, and possibly dream of some strange and impossible events." 

"Such as the count coming back from the dead?" 

"Or the hanging of a man who appears to be perfectly alive and well."

The three of them shared a conspiring look and a laugh. 

"I will assure them that the issue has been fixed and hope that tomorrow night's festivities will be grand enough that Vesuvia will forgive the mistake." 

"I'll help you make sure of it," Pasha promised. "Is there anything you need, mi--uh, Nadia?" 

"No, you have done plenty, Portia. Thank you." Nadia stepped forward to embrace her. She couldn't see the stunned and flushed face Pasha made within her arms and under her nose, but Julian did. "Go get some rest." 

"Alright, well, I'll be heading to my cottage then."

Before she left, Julian hugged her as well, an excuse to whisper, "Pasha's in love," in her ear in their native tongue. He took an elbow in the stomach for that, but it was well worth it. They were definitely going to talk more about that later. 

"Well then, I'm going to wait at the fountain." 

"Wait, Doctor?" Nadia asked.

"Please, Julian," he smirked. 

"Julian, were we friends?" 

"Yes," he said, before second guessing it. "I think so." He'd wanted to think of her as a friend, but sometimes it had been hard to tell how she felt. 

"I thought so. I'm afraid I've had only vague flashes of memories with you, but I would very much like to be friends again." 

"That's alright. Amaranth doesn't remember _anything_ about me." 

"You knew them before they died?" 

"As it turns out, yes." 

"Does that bother you, that they don't remember?" 

"Not too much. It's best if we put the past behind us anyway. I think it's amazing that despite everything, the three of us found our back to each other, and now we get to build new memories together." 

Nadia smiled softly. "Building new memories. I like the sound of that. Still, I hope you can tell me stories about our past friendship sometime." 

"I'd be glad to." 

Asra's parents were already waiting at the fountain, which shouldn't have surprised Julian, and yet, now that he was no longer acting as a doctor and was more concerned about making a good impression, he found he had no idea what to say. With them were two snakes coiled around the railing. 

"You're Ilya, right?" short asked. 

"Oh, um, he mentioned me? Er, I mean, yes, that's me. Or Julian. It doesn't matter." 

"They told us about you while we were traveling through the magic realms," said tall. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Aisha, and this is my husband, Salim. Come sit with us," she beckoned. 

He joined them on the fountain railing, keeping a bit of distance from the snakes. He was, admittedly, growing to like Faust, but these two were unfamiliar and a bit bigger than her. "So, uh… how did you two…?" 

"Oh, right, we weren't actually dead. Apparently that's what Count Lucio told Asra, but we were in the arcana realms, imprisoned by the devil," Salim explained. 

"He must've been happy to see you again." 

"We were very happy to see him again too," Aisha smiled. 

Julian gazed into the water rather than at them. 

"Asra and Amaranth have become quite powerful. We've seen what they're capable of. They'll find their way back," Salim tried to reassure him. 

"Why don't you tell us about how you met them?" Aisha suggested. 

Julian grew more comfortable as he got swept away with his exciting tale, inevitably spanning from the day he'd met Amaranth, the first time, to his revival after the execution, which required the contextual side story about him being wanted for the count's murder. It was such a good story as it was, he _almost_ didn't need to embellish any details. 

In return, Aisha and Salim shared a couple cute stories about Asra as a child. Julian wished he were here to be flustered about it. 

When he heard splashes ripping behind him, Julian gasped and turned so impatiently he almost slipped in. There they were, leaning in exhaustion against each other, trudging through the water. "We did it. The devil is bound to his own realm," Asra said, and they both smiled. Aisha offered her hands to him. 

Julian scooped Amaranth up over the railing and into his arms. Finally, they were tangible and within his reach. "I'm in love with the two most wonderful magicians in the whole world!" he declared, and then kissed them all over the face until they got flustered and buried their face in his jacket.

"Is everyone safe?" Asra asked in the arms of his parents. 

"Yes. There were some injuries, but they've been tended to. The guests fell unconscious, but are otherwise fine," Aisha assured him. 

"We're so proud of you both," said Salim. 

"Bed," Amaranth mumbled against Julian's shoulder. 

"I agree," Asra laughed.

The five of them made their way to the guest hall, each Alnazar with a snake on their shoulders, and Amaranth riding the whole way in Julian's willing arms, possibly asleep already. Aisha and Salim bid the triad goodnight and took Asra's room that he had no intention of using tonight. 

Julian gently laid Amaranth down on the bed, then pulled Asra into his lap for overdue snuggles and kisses. He nestled right in and quickly grew more sleepy. Faust slithered up Julian's arm and gave him a squeeze before going to curl up in the corner by Amaranth's head.

"Can you get the buttons?" Asra asked. 

His fingers fumbled a bit more than they should have along the back of Asra's dress, perhaps going to show how much he needed sleep too. If it hadn't been such a crazy night, Julian would have slowly, sensually slipped the sleeves off his shoulders and kissed down his neck, but neither of them had the energy to go there. Perhaps tomorrow night, after they finally got a nice romantic dance together with no crisis going on in the background. 

Instead, Asra stood up just long enough to throw off the garment and his shoes, and then flopped back down in bed without a shred of grace.

Julian followed suit, definitely not wanting to sleep in all those feathers. Then he sat next to Amaranth and removed their feathery sash and overskirt, shoes, and earrings. They were still conscious enough that they shifted to be slightly accommodating. The rest was probably fine to leave alone. 

Then he cuddled up next to them, and they turned to the side to be spooned. Asra settled behind him. Julian was comfortable, surrounded with love, and drifting off. l Everything was perfect. 

Until a queasy feeling began to stir in his stomach again. With so much going on, he'd almost forgotten about the cursed food, but now he had nothing more pressing to worry about. 

His partners were probably asleep now. He tried to extricate himself without waking them, and failed two out of two. "Ilya, sleep," Asra groaned. Amaranth grabbed his arm around them, forbidding it to leave. 

"I can't." 

Asra nuzzled his shoulder and held him tighter. 

"Was the food magic?" he asked. 

"Transmutated." 

"What does that mean?" 

"Sand-water," said Amaranth. 

"What?"

"It was a thing, and then it was a different thing," Asra explained slightly more coherently.

"So it was not-food turned into food?" 

"Mhm," Amaranth mumbled. 

"So is it going to turn back while it's inside us?" 

"No." 

"You're certain it's safe?" 

"Promise," they squeezed his hand.

"I've had transmutated food and water before. It's fine," said Asra.

Okay. Julian trusted them. They wouldn't let anything happen to him, or to each other. He was safe. 

Now everything was perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Was giving Portia a non-canon defiant line at the devil necessary? No, but she deserves it.
> 
> When I actually went to look, Aisha only appears to be slightly taller than Salim when they're in frame together, but then, it's not like the official height differences are well visualized, and I feel like Salim just, has short energy, and I like f/m relationships where the woman is taller, cause you rarely see them drawn or casted that way, so I'm sticking to this headcanon. 
> 
> Amaranth's costume is a phoenix. Rebirth from the ashes--I thought it fitting.
> 
> Yes, I play dnd.


End file.
